@Latimer In a large garden grasses en masse can look amazing as shown in @Loxley s photos. These photos were taken when plants were at their best. In a smaller space having different plants to break up a border is essential if you want a garden for all seasons. I have seen M Moorhexe at RHS Rosemoor planted at a corner of a bed, very successfully but it is necessary to look at the planting as a whole within the border. No good if your grass grows to 4/5 ft and over the other side the planting is flat. It is all very complicated and you are somewhere in the middle of getting it right. It will take time with positives and mistakes along the way.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
@GardenerSuze I have to say, I don't feel like I'm in the middle of getting it right!
I'm tempted to go and spend a bit of money. It's hard to do, I have a pretty tight budget but it might just be a case of buying a few thing and growing them and see what I like.
This is my currently selection of plants I like the look of. I don't know how many of these would work and how they would work together! I'm still looking to add an Osmanthus x Burkwoodii into the bed and a mid sized 1.5m or so shrub, maybe a Pittosporum into the centre-ish of the whole bed to try and break it up a bit.
@Plantminded do you have any pictures of your "bulbscapes"?
Yes, many @Latimer! I have a dedicated bed of tulips like a river, midway up my sloping bank which is used as a path for weeding after the bulbs have died down. Here's a couple of photos:
Another photo to show grasses combined with emerging perennials and shrubs in spring:
And one more to show that grasses can look good in autumn/winter, in the mild North West anyway!
Thank you @Latimer. If you have a look at the Knoll Gardens website, you'll see lots of gallery shots to give you some ideas. The online shop also stocks perennials which are specially selected to go well with grasses. Enjoy your planning!
@Latimer It would be easy for me to give the plants on your list marks out of ten, but that is not the best way to do it. You must start with what you already have and work with that.
If you take your Molinias as discussed they need something earlier in the year to take 'centre stage' as they grow. So bulbs are good/ leaf colour and shape will also add interest. It is more about 'painting' with your plants and finding things that obviously suit your soil/ microclimate and aspect.
You might go to a GC or nursery just to look for one plant that will suit, you don't need to know what the plant is, the key is will it work.. You will have done all your research regarding soil etc and be able to come home knowing exactly where you are going to plant it. Perhaps you could try it out at the GC next to a grass remembering height/ seasons of interest/ is it evergreen/ good seed heads/ texture and leaf shape too. You could also take a look at what you might add next to these two plants.
Note a few possibles and check at home before deciding. Manybe your third choice might not work as you realise it will look wrong with a plant you already have or it could just be perfect. The best gardens evolve, forming a rhythm of plants is the best way to succeed.
I hope I haven't confused you all this info comes straight out of my head and it can be a bit jumbled. Sorry in advance.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Not confused @GardenerSuze but it does sometimes feel like 1 step forwards and 2 steps back!
I popped into the local GC when I went on the school run, I even had a couple of plants in my basket but then started second guessing my choices, put everything back and ran back home lol.
My nature doesn't allow me to be spontaneous and so I need to investigate everything. Unfortunately my plant knowledge is very limited and the plants out there are vast so every time I look at something it just adds to the confusion.
I popped into the local GC when I went on the school run, I even had a couple of plants in my basket but then started second guessing my choices, put everything back and ran back home lol.
My nature doesn't allow me to be spontaneous and so I need to investigate everything. Unfortunately my plant knowledge is very limited and the plants out there are vast so every time I look at something it just adds to the confusion.
This is turning into gardening therapy!
Oh now this sounds very familiar!
I changed mobile phone network last year because the one I was on had no signal in my local GC.
Now I spend about an hour there researching every plant I like the look of.
I used to panic and put them all back and then research when I got back to the car (the signal magically appeared in the car park) and then go back in 😂
Posts
I have seen M Moorhexe at RHS Rosemoor planted at a corner of a bed, very successfully but it is necessary to look at the planting as a whole within the border. No good if your grass grows to 4/5 ft and over the other side the planting is flat. It is all very complicated and you are somewhere in the middle of getting it right. It will take time with positives and mistakes along the way.
I'm tempted to go and spend a bit of money. It's hard to do, I have a pretty tight budget but it might just be a case of buying a few thing and growing them and see what I like.
This is my currently selection of plants I like the look of. I don't know how many of these would work and how they would work together! I'm still looking to add an Osmanthus x Burkwoodii into the bed and a mid sized 1.5m or so shrub, maybe a Pittosporum into the centre-ish of the whole bed to try and break it up a bit.
Another photo to show grasses combined with emerging perennials and shrubs in spring:
And one more to show that grasses can look good in autumn/winter, in the mild North West anyway!
If you take your Molinias as discussed they need something earlier in the year to take 'centre stage' as they grow. So bulbs are good/ leaf colour and shape will also add interest. It is more about 'painting' with your plants and finding things that obviously suit your soil/ microclimate and aspect.
You might go to a GC or nursery just to look for one plant that will suit, you don't need to know what the plant is, the key is will it work.. You will have done all your research regarding soil etc and be able to come home knowing exactly where you are going to plant it. Perhaps you could try it out at the GC next to a grass remembering height/ seasons of interest/ is it evergreen/ good seed heads/ texture and leaf shape too. You could also take a look at what you might add next to these two plants.
Note a few possibles and check at home before deciding. Manybe your third choice might not work as you realise it will look wrong with a plant you already have or it could just be perfect. The best gardens evolve, forming a rhythm of plants is the best way to succeed.
I hope I haven't confused you all this info comes straight out of my head and it can be a bit jumbled. Sorry in advance.
I popped into the local GC when I went on the school run, I even had a couple of plants in my basket but then started second guessing my choices, put everything back and ran back home lol.
My nature doesn't allow me to be spontaneous and so I need to investigate everything. Unfortunately my plant knowledge is very limited and the plants out there are vast so every time I look at something it just adds to the confusion.
This is turning into gardening therapy!
Now I spend about an hour there researching every plant I like the look of.